Shots (on goal)

Saves

Fouls

Penalty Corners

WASHINGTON - Senior Rafaela Rubas hit the game-winning goal in double-overtime to lift the American University field hockey team to an exciting 3-2 win over VCU on Sunday, Sept. 2.

This was the second consecutive win for the Eagles after they claimed a convincing 5-2 victory over #17 James Madison on Friday. AU now rises to 3-1 for the season while the Rams fall to 1-2.

HOW IT HAPPENED

VCU's Litiana Field got the scoring going in the first half with a shot from the top of the circle. The Rams held the 1-0 advantage at halftime before pushing ahead by two with five minutes left in regulation with a deflection from Emily McNamara.

American put up a thrilling final four minutes of regulation with goals from senior Megan Benson and sophomore Carlotta Borcherding to push the game into extra time.

Senior Annaka Groschinski assisted on the Benson goal after a penalty corner insertion, and junior Jette Dieckmann provided the assist for Borcherding with a cross from the corner.

Neither team was able to gain the advantage in the first ten-minute overtime period and the game was nearly pushed into a shootout when senior Rafaela Rubas hit her second goal of the season with less than four minutes remaining to give the team the final 3-2 win.

Senior goalkeeper Maura Jacobs picked up six saves off eight shots on goal while VCU keeper Sasha Elliott came away with two saves.

The Rams held the advantage in shots, 13-8, and penalty corners, 7-3.

HEAR FROM COACH JENNINGS "Just when it looked like we were totally down and out against a solid VCU team that had outplayed us for most of the day, we caught fire to send the game into overtime. We are really proud of our team's resilience to win a match when we were not feeling in rhythm and when it appeared it was not our day.

"We had some exceptional efforts individually, but in the end it was an amazing collective effort to get the job done."

NEXT UP

The Eagles will continue their four-game stretch on the road at the Terrapin Invitational next weekend where they will face Harvard at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday (Sept. 8) and the 2016 NCAA Champion Delaware at 3 p.m. on Sunday (Sept. 9). American will return home on Saturday, Sept. 15, to open Patriot League play at noon against Boston University.

For the latest on American University Field Hockey, stay tuned to AUEagles.com and follow the team on Twitter @AU_FieldHockey.